17 Months

So, here we are. One step forward, and two steps back.

NCS doesn't really like to speak so much anymore; instead, he signs. He signs "milk," "more," "please," "thank you," "all done," "eat," "ball," "baby," "bird," and "water." He only verbalizes "Mama," "Dada," "Braaaa" (meaning Meow), "Mmmmmmm" (meaning Moooooo), and he makes a sound for monkey and pig (a grunting-type clearing of the throat). He has recently started singing, a.k.a. yelling at the top of his lungs during a song.

He is a sweetheart. He stops in the middle of menial tasks just to kiss his mommy. He blows kisses to almost everyone he leaves. He shakes almost every hand in greeting. He asks "please," and he says "thank you," though he must be reminded.

We had a playdate today with his BFF, JFK, whose first name is Jackson. During their visit, NCS was calling JFK in the sing-song voice that the Mommies use... "Jack-son." I had him repeat it many, many times today. He even got super excited tonight during his bath when I asked him to call JFK. He thought JFK was here to visit, and he was even trying to jump out of the tub to go find him, squealing with excitement!

I am still struggling with weaning. It brings such comfort to NCS, it destroys to me to think of depriving him of that. I am marginally concerned about the nutritional aspects of weaning, but I'm sure that he would eat more food if he needed to. I'm not so sure that he would drink more fluids from a cup. Time will tell.